Wednesday, February 18, 2015

ABOUT LIFE ON THE FARM WITH ANIMALS

The son has returned home and a baby daughter has arrived for this farming couple.

Excerpt from 'THE CLOCK OF TIME" by Gertrude Ruston. (pp 87-88)

"We always had our own chickens and a few ducks.  It was amusing to see the Indian Runner ducks follow one another down to the water when they were let out in the morning and return the same way each night.  We had to watch out for goannas as they were always after the eggs.




One of the ducks, that I called Jane, insisted on getting over the garden fence and I was always chasing her.  When Peg could toddle around and started to talk she also chased Jane, and we were horrified to hear her use some of Tim Healy's picturesque adjectives, in quite the right places, when describing the duck.  Tim received a severe final warning regarding his language and I must admit he thereafter did try to moderate it.

We often saw beautiful black possums and had to chase them away from our seed potatoes which were spread out on racks under the pine trees, where they hardened, turned green, and produced shoots ready for planting the next crop.


The true name of these attractive animals is oppossum, and they are protected under law to prevent them being killed for their beautiful skins.  They are nocturnal in habit.

As one time we found a small possum in the shed and made a pet of it, giving it saucers of milk and various titbits.  First of all she lived in the rafters of the shed, but she gradually followed us down to the house and would disappear in the daytime.  Eventually we found her sleeping in the curtain pelmet.

When she came out at night "Possie", as we called her, wandered around ready to climb anything that was handy, including out legs if we were not careful.  She would stick her claws out to support herself and my young home help and I could often be seen sitting with our feet up on another chair in self preservation.  In the end Possie disappeared and we assumed she had joined her own kind in the bush."

That was just a short interlude before the next dramatic part of the story takes place.

13 comments:

  1. Life on the farm never is boring.

    Do you think Possie will return?

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    1. Farm life certainly keeps people on their toes and no, as far as I know Possie did not return.

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  2. Hari Om
    Gotta love the fur and feathers.... a pleasant 'interlude' indeed Mimsie! YAM xx

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    1. Yes, fur and feathers always make life so much more interesting. Glad you enjoyed this 'interval' in the story. xx

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    2. Hari OM
      Oh Mimisie thanks for your visit - I have had this happen to me with a couple of bloggies I had enjoyed following too... have not yet worked out why - I now reach them via the Google Profile pages instead; but you could try putting your email address in for a reminder that way (the little box at bottom left side-bar). Have cut an pasted this response, in case you have not been able to get back and see this! Yxx

      Pee ess, something that occurred just now though, is that you could perhaps join MY TAKE the photoblog instead and from that you can click through to Wild YAM from the badge there...

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  3. What wonderful critters Mimsie!!!...:)JP

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  4. Hi Mimsie, I really enjoyed this and those photos were a delight. Thanks for visiting. To answer your question on Midsomer Murders. I have only ever seen the episodes with John Nettles so can't compare.

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    1. Thanks Denise for your kind comment.
      Will look forward to your comment re MM when you eventually see the new series.

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  5. chasing after a duck and swearing at it? my my, the things kids pick up.
    Making a pet of Possie was probably a bad idea, when he left he went around Australia and spread the word, now possums all over the country try to get inside people's roofs. (*~*)

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    1. Mum and Dad never used bad language although mum said that was a different kettle of fish when the cows wouldn't come through the gate and Dad's full vocabulary got a full airing.
      So, now I know why possums have become so house friendly. It's all the fault of Possie finding a home for a while. LOL

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  6. My mum always told stories about a duck they had as a guarddog or should I say guard duck as he was very protective and attacked strangers Merle...........

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    1. I believe geese also make good guardbirds and yes, ducks can also fill the bill very well.

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